Chapter Text
Hongjoong was overworked, he knew, he was aware of this-
"Your face looks like a hamster pooped and peed on it, then a cat decided it was a good place to scratch, then a dog drooled all over it-"
"I'm gonna stop you right there, Yunho"
Yunho sighed and fell back in the couch.
Yunho was currently Hongjoong's only friend. The guy was a backup dancer and choreographer for the same company Hongjoong was a producer for.
They were both working on a song for a girl group that was seven months away from debuting.
The expectations were high, the girls had already shown their potential to the public so they all expected Hongjoong's song and Yunho's choreography to be excellent.
Those girls were so talented and Hongjoong wanted that song to be exceptional, wanted it to be so special that the girls would immediately become well known.
"There's only a month and a half left, I've got like half of it figured out but-" Hongjoong groaned, pulling at his hair "Mingi told me last night that he needs a Spider-Man suit for school and he wants to shoot real webs out of his wrists and you know I can't deny him anything-"
"Then get him the damn Spider-Man suit and the web shooters!"
"It's easy for you say it! You won't spend half your income in a thing your son's gonna use once!"
Yunho shook his head disapprovingly, his eyes narrowed "if Mingi were my son, I would hire Tom Holland to swing him around New York-"
Hongjoong threw a pillow to his friend.
"Anyway, Mingi has been in my neighbor's apartment for hours now. I've got to go and cuddle him"
Yunho groaned as he got up from the couch "tell little man I'm sorry for not going to our play date last week"
"We don't need you, he said that his papa is just right. You can just not go anymore"
Yunho hit his arm as they made their way out of the studio.
"I was just really tired. Tell him that this Friday there's nothing that can stop me from playing with him"
Hongjoong laughed as they stood in front of the company's building "you don't have to, you know"
"I want to. Mingi is like my only friend at this point"
Hongjoong let out a huff as Yunho laughed and flinched away from Hongjoong's playful hits.
"I'm your friend too, asshole!"
"You don't like my cookies, Mingi does!"
"Ok, bye. I'm not going to lose my time with you"
Yunho started to walk in the opposite direction.
"Tell Mingi I'm sorry and that I love him and that I'm going to gift him a plushie!"
"Stop spoiling my child!"
"Never!"
Hongjoong snorted and started to walk towards the coffee shop that was not so far from there. It had Mingi's favorite cookies and milkshakes.
He bought three cookies and a chocolate milkshake for Mingi and a black coffee for him.
Hongjoong walked home with all the speed his short legs let him have, while trying to not to spill Mingi's milkshake or drop his cookies.
When he finally got to the apartment complex, he knocked on his neighbor's door and waited.
"Papa! San hyung, do you think papa's here?"
Hongjoong felt a smile stretch his lips just by hearing Mingi's voice.
"I don't know, little man-" San opened the door "yep, it's papa"
Mingi let out a long high pitched scream and ran out, crashing against Hongjoong's legs.
"Papa! You're finally here! I got so much to tell you!"
San went back inside to get Mingi's little paw patrol backpack "he's got homework to do" Mingi whined at that "I was helping him but I got distracted and we started a pillow fight"
"Don't worry, thank you for helping him and taking care of him"
San shrugged "he's a little ball of energy, I don't mind having him around- actually, could you two come to my apartment on Friday night? I promised him a sleepover with all my plushies"
Uh, shit. What should he-
"Let's see how my little man behaves in school until Friday. It's going to be your reward for being a good boy"
Hongjoong tapped Mingi's little nose with a finger when Mingi looked up at him, his eyes filled with hope.
Mingi turned to San "hyung, I'm goin to be a very good boy!
San chuckled, kneeling down to hug Mingi "I do hope so, Mingi. I already told Shiber you're going to come"
Mingi's expression changed immediately to one more serious as he nodded firmly "I won't disappoint Shiber, hyung"
Hongjoong laughed at Mingi's tone. San almost did, trying to keep the act up for Mingi.
"Okay, see you tomorrow, Mingi"
"See you, hyung!"
Hongjoong mumbled a 'thank you' as San got back into his apartment and closed his door.
They started to walk through the hallway. Their apartment was five doors away from San's.
"How was your day, Minigi?"
"It was great!" Mingi jumped, arms in the air to emphasize his point "I painted something for you in my art class but it's a secret so I'm not going to say a word!"
Hongjoong pouted "when will you be able to show it to me?"
"I don't know" said the boy, a little smirk on his face "I really don't"
Of course he knew.
"It's a shame, Minigi. Anyway, whatever it is, I'm sure it'll be great"
Mingi hummed and his eyes finally landed on the paper bag in Hongjoong's hand.
"Papa, you bought cookies?"
Hongjoong hummed as took his keys out of his pocket and opened their door. Mingi ran in, going to the kitchen and sitting down in one of the chairs.
"I'm ready, papa!"
Hongjoong snorted as he took his shoes off and left the coffee, the cookies and Mingi's milkshake on the countertop.
"Ready for what, Minigi?"
"To do my homework!"
Hongjoong stopped moving to rise an eyebrow at his son.
'Let's see how long this lasts' he thought.
Mingi couldn't stay still for more than ten minutes, not even to save his own life.
"That's great, Minigi. Just give me a minute"
Hongjoong went to his own room to put his pajamas on and leave his backpack somewhere on the floor.
He went to the kitchen and found Mingi already pulling his little exercise book out of his backpack.
"Oh, maths" mumbled Hongjoong as he sat next to his son "in the last parents' meeting, your teacher said you were getting better at maths"
Mingi nodded proudly "I know the answer to almost all the questions but I need to be even better! Park Wooyoung keeps making fun of me for not knowing some answers!"
Mingi huffed and took one of his pencils, starting with the math exercises.
Hongjoong just sat there frowning.
"Wait, Mingi. What does this kid say to you?"
Mingi looked up at him with a little smile "he says I'm dumb and tells other kids to not to play with me-"
"What the-?"
Hongjoong could feel his heartbeat quicken and his face heat up with anger. He ran a hand through his hair and fanned himself, as of that could make his anger go away.
"But you don't have to worry, papa! I gave Park Wooyoung what he deserves!"
Hongjoong looked at his son with big eyes. He cupped Mingi's face with his hands, squeezing his little adorable cheeks slightly.
"Oh, no, Minigi. What did you do to that kid?"
Mingi giggled cutely and put his hands on Hongjoong's face.
"I...put bubblegum in his hair" he whispered, giggling some more.
Hongjoong almost had a heart attack.
"Kim Mingi, that's not right. You should have told me about this. I could have talked with your teacher and this kid's parents"
Mingi pouted, letting go of Hongjoong's face.
"I'm sorry, papa...I just wanted him to stop-" Mingi's lower lip wobbled slightly and his eyes filled up with tears.
Hongjoong could only coo and hug his boy. He hated to see Mingi cry.
"I wanted him to stop telling other kids to not to play with me! I had many friends! Now I have none!"
Hongjoong almost cursed out the kid. No one had the right to say and do something like that to his son.
He would have a word or two with Park Wooyoung's parents.
Hongjoong kissed his son's cheeks many times, until Mingi was giggling and trying to get away.
"You're not dumb, Minigi. You know that, right?"
"I'm not sure...sometimes I don't know the answers and...I feel bad"
"It's okay if you don't know all the answers all the time. That doesn't mean you're dumb"
Hongjoong sighed, getting up to grab his coffee, the cookies and the milkshake.
"Let's just do our best, yeah? I know you're really smart" he kissed the top of Mingi's head "I love you. Let's do our best, that's all we can do"
"Okay, papa. I love you too! This much!"
Mingi opened his arms and stretched them out. He was smiling again and Hongjoong could feel relief wash over him.
"Well, thank you, Minigi. Now, let's do your homework while we have our drinks"
Mingi was really struggling in some parts, like when he had to multiply or divide.
Hongjoong struggled to help sometimes, because he didn't do so good in school. He had used his phone to help both of them with the damn math homework.
Mingi was brushing his teeth while he begged Hongjoong to let him sleep in his room, when Hongjoong's phone rang in his pocket.
He frowned when he saw that it was a unknown number. He still picked up the call, just out of curiosity.
"Hello?"
"Oh, hi. Is this Kim Hongjoong? Kim Mingi's father?"
"Uh, yes?"
The man at the other end took a deep breath.
"Today, your son got bubblegum stuck in my son's hair. Now, I don't know what kind of savage you're raising-"
Hongjoong's blood boiled. He saw red.
"Are you calling my son a savage, asshole?"
"So what if I am"
A few horrible words were at the tip of Hongjoong's tongue but Mingi choose that moment to run out the bathroom.
"Papa, look at my teeth! Papa, look!"
"Minigi, sweety- your teeth are amazing just- can you go wait for me in bed? Please?"
Mingi frowned but nodded slowly "and can I take bear with me?"
Hongjoong sighed as he put a hand over his forehead. Fuck that awfully big, annoying bear-
"Yes, Minigi, of course. I love bear"
"Thank you, papa! Don't take too long!"
Hongjoong sighed and tried to regain his composure as he saw Mingi ran to get bear.
"Just so you know, your son has been bullying Mingi. He calls my son dumb and tells his friends to not to play with him. You're the one raising a future jock, mucle head, dumbass boy"
"Are you for fucking real-? You know what? You and I will solve this tomorrow with the boys' teacher. I do hope you know that you're teaching your son to lie and abuse other innocent kids-"
"Fuck off. See you tomorrow, dickhead"
Hongjoong hung up and just stood there kicking the air and snarling at no one. He took a couple of deep breaths and went to brush his teeth quickly.
He turned all the lights off and ran to his room.
Mingi was laying there on the bed, hugging bear tightly and watching paw patrol like it was the most interesting thing in the universe.
Hongjoong turned off the lights of his room and laid next to his son.
Mingi moved to put his head on Hongjoong's chest while still hugging that fucking huge bear.
"Just twenty more minutes, Minigi. Tomorrow is a very important day"
"Why, papa?" Whispered Mingi, already sounding sleepy.
"Nothing special, it's just as important as any other day. Every day in school is important"
Mingi was silent for a few seconds.
"Okay, papa"
Mingi fell asleep immediately after and Hongjoong turned off the tv.
Tomorrow, he would fucking destroy that motherfucker.
-
"Papa, why is bear on the floor?"
Hongjoong kicked it off the bed, that's why.
"I don't know, Minigi. Maybe he likes to sleep there"
Hongjoong finished styling his dark blue hair and gave himself a once over.
He looked great. Hongjoong would have the privilege to say that he destroyed Park Wooyoung's parents while looking like he had run out of a magazine.
He then helped Mingi dry his hair and put on his underwear. Hongjoong looked out Mingi's window.
It was cold outside.
He made sure to dress Mingi with multiple layers of clothes, finishing with a beanie, a fluffy scarf and equally fluffy gloves.
He made sure Mingi had his homework in his backpack and put his wallet, keys and phone on the pockets of his jeans and his leather jacket.
They got out. Mingi could barely move his arms because of how many clothes he was wearing.
He looked adorable and Hongjoong would rather have him taking off clothes for half an hour than falling ill.
"Papa, can we buy cookies?"
"How about sandwiches and tea?"
"I like the ones with lettuce!"
Hongjoong chuckled and fixed Mingi's beanie and scarf before getting out of the building "I know, Minigi"
"Papa, will we walk outside of that shop with puppies?"
"Yes, I think we're near"
Mingi squealed and took Hongjoong's hand, jumping from time to time.
"Papa, can I have a puppy someday?"
'Yes, when you live on your own'
"I don't know, I will think about it"
"Great!"
They went into a restaurant that had pictures of families everywhere. It was kind of weird, but Hongjoong wouldn't be the one to judge. He was hungry and had with him a toddler that vibrated with excitement every time he saw something he liked.
One of the ways to keep Mingi quiet and calm was to put food in front of him.
He ordered a mug of tea (a plastic cup for Mingi, Hongjoong wouldn't risk him dropping a mug that he would have to pay later). The waitress even offered to give Mingi a paper straw.
Hongjoong choose one of the sandwiches that had chicken, tomatoes, lettuce and some garlic sauce.
Mingi choose the same one, just without the chicken, the tomatoes and the garlic sauce.
Hongjoong helped Mingi take off his scarf and gloves so he could eat more comfortably. Hongjoong pulled out his phone and checked the hour.
They had an hour to spare.
Maybe they had gone out too early? Maybe-
"Papa, papa, the food!"
"I hope you enjoy it!" said the waitress, way too excited for a Tuesday morning.
Mingi clapped excitedly as the waitress put the food on their table. The waitress smiled at Mingi before walking away.
They began to eat, Hongjoong having to scold Mingi plenty of times so he would slow down a little.
"It's just really good, papa!"
"Yes, Minigi but you're going to get a stomachache if you eat too fast"
"Okay!"
Mingi was so messy. Hongjoong would barely have time to enjoy his food because he had to clean Mingi's hands or the boy would just wipe them off on his clothes, he had to clean Mingi's face or the boy would just use his sleeve.
Those were expensive clothes, alright? Mingi just couldn't ruin them with oil or any other thing.
When they finished, Hongjoong stood up and paid for the food. He put the scarf and gloves back on Mingi and they made their way out.
"Papa, I think I'm really full!"
"That's good, Minigi-"
Hongjoong stopped in front of a poodle of water on the ground. Everyone were just jumping over it or-
"Papa, a poodle! Yes!"
The boy ran forward and Hongjoong almost bad a little heart attack.
Mingi wasn't wearing his boots! He would get his shoes all wet and get sick!
Hongjoong stopped his son just in time and picked him up.
"But papa, the poodle!" His whined, kicking Hongjoong's hip slightly.
"You're not wearing your water boots, little sir and you're not about to wet your feet. We don't want you catching a cold, right?"
Mingi pouted as he shook his head. Hongjoong went around the poodle and could hear Mingi whisper his goodbyes with the saddest tone Hongjoong had ever heard on him.
Hongjoong leaned forward to put Mingi back on the ground but the boy screamed, clinging to his neck and waist.
"No! Papa take Minigi to school like this! Minigi will cry so much!"
Hongjoong chuckled but kept walking "you're one little clingy monster, did you know that?"